Info for Departments

Introduction

This section provides a general overview of the services provided by
the Office of International Services (OIS). This information is
especially pertinent for faculty and administrators responsible for
advising, hosting, or employing international students, scholars, and
faculty.

The OIS is responsible for monitoring and interpreting changes to
immigration regulations that affect TC's international students,
scholars and visiting faculty. The OIS also serves as the liaison
between TC and U.S. government agencies, including the departments of
Homeland Security, State, and Labor, on all matters concerning
non-immigrant student and scholars at TC. Finally, we provide a variety
of immigration-related information and services for international
students, scholars, visiting faculty, and their dependents.

We work closely with TC's administrative and academic departments to
ensure that the members of TC's vibrant international community receives
the best possible service, advice, and information while at Teachers
College. We strongly encourage departments to review the information on
this web site.

In the event of any questions - especially in relation to the
sponsorship, hiring and employment, and compensation of foreign
nationals - departments should contact the Office of International
Services at tcintl@tc.columbia.edu or x3939 for guidance and advice before proceeding.

General Services for Students

The OIS counsels students on student visas on immigration regulations
governing full-time study, on-campus employment, off-campus employment,
and extensions. We are responsible for issuing certificates eligibility
used for visa issuance, travel and re-entry to the United States, and
employment applications and authorizations. Our office is also
responsible for approving on-campus employment for international
students, and facilitating applications for Social Security numbers for
those authorized for employment in the United States.

The OIS provides a host of programming and academic support activities for international students and scholars, including:

New International Student Orientation, held every fall and spring semester, to introduce newly-arrived international students to the TC community

Fall Welcome Desk, held during the last half of August and
staffed by OIS interns and volunteers, welcoming new fall semester
international student arrivals

Academic Language and Culture, a series of free workshops
for international students who are new to U.S. higher education,
providing an introduction to U.S. classroom culture, writing and oral
presentation skills, and more

Visa Orientation workshops for new international students

International Week, a week-long series of events during April celebrating TC's international diversity

International Education Week, a week-long educational events.

General Services for International Visitors, Research Scholars, and Visiting Faculty

The OIS also works closely with departments on a variety of matters
concerning the visit and participation of international visitors,
research scholars, and visiting faculty. More specifically, the OIS
supervises the implementation of TC policies governing institutional
sponsorship and employment of foreign nationals, including the following
categories:

Departments interested in hosting research scholars / visiting professors should read the TC Visiting Scholar sponsorship policy on the TC General Counsel website and contact the OIS Director for further information.